How to become principal of a school

Have you wondered what it takes to become the principal of a school? It’s more than just managing daily tasks. It’s about inspiring both students and teachers and building a thriving school community.

So, how do you become a principal? If you’re interested in school administration and making a lasting impact, read on to find out what educational requirements, skills and experience are needed to get started.

Principals manage school operations and work to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Their responsibilities include overseeing staff, developing curricula and maintaining a safe learning environment.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the responsibilities and duties of a principal include:

• Managing teachers and support staff
• Establishing class schedules
• Implementing curriculum standards
• Counseling and disciplining students
• Observing teachers and evaluating their performance
• Meeting with parents and teachers about student progress
• Assessing student achievement through test scores and reports
• Organizing professional development for staff
• Handling the school’s budget, supplies and maintenance
• Implementing security procedures

Becoming a principal requires a master’s degree in education administration or similar program. These programs teach required skills such as leadership development, educational diversity, policy, curriculum development and more. Typically, candidates need a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field before pursuing a master’s.

Experience is also key to becoming a principal of a school. Principals usually need several years of teaching experience as well.

Public school principals must obtain a license as school administrators, and requirements for that may vary by state. Generally, this includes holding a master’s degree, passing an exam and completing a background check.

Assistant principals can move up to become principals, while some principals later become superintendents or instructional coordinators. These roles may require further education and licensure.

To excel in a job as a principal, you need excellent communication, critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, interpersonal and leadership skills. 

Successful principals often possess a unique blend of skills and qualities that enable them to lead schools effectively. 

Being a principal of a school takes more than just being a manager. Principals set ambitious goals, craft the right policies and inspire their staff to achieve greatness. Their leadership can help create a culture of achievement and make their school a thriving environment for learning.

Effective principals should know how to resolve academic issues and explain school policies clearly. They also act as a voice for students, teachers and parents.

Running a school can mean making tough decisions and focusing on the bigger picture. Principals weigh the needs of students, staff and the overall environment. Their decisions can drive positive (or negative) outcomes for the entire school.

To be an effective principal, you must assess school challenges that arise, dig into the root causes, and ideate and implement solutions that work.

Principals who model support and encouragement can help encourage a positive school culture. This starts with a focus on positive messaging, which encourages risk-taking and celebrates success. School assemblies can reinforce this culture and, ideally, keep everyone motivated and feeling like part of a community.

Collaboration can contribute to a well-run school as well. By building positive, trusting relationships with teachers, parents and district leaders, principals can create a team atmosphere that helps align everyone toward achieving common goals of educational success.

Jobs for principals can come with challenges and rewards worth considering ahead of time. This can range from handling student behavior to creating a supportive community environment. 

As a principal, you’ll need to be comfortable managing disciplinary issues and sometimes mediating conflicts within your community. You’ll also be the go-to person for complaints from teachers and concerns from parents, and set the tone for acceptable (and unacceptable) student behavior.

In addition to calmly and wisely handling these issues, you’ll need to commit to recharging regularly. 

Being a principal means managing relationships with the community. Building strong, proactive relationships shows you genuinely care about your school’s well-being. You can also help establish a supportive environment by creating spaces for open dialogue, such as community gatherings, social media groups or informal meetings.

Principal positions may require managing budgets and school operations while focusing on improving teaching and learning. This often involves guiding teacher development and improving student achievement. Principals may leverage data to make informed decisions and foster a culture of continuous improvement among staff.

When you work as a principal, you can share in the success of your students, staff and teams. As leaders of a school, principals can recognize both publicly and privately the achievements of outstanding students and staff. These moments of celebration boost morale and encourage further achievement.

Of course, successes also reflect the impact of leadership, and so principals can share in many of the successes. For example, if a school program is doing well, this can reflect your team’s hard work. 

The first step to becoming a principal is earning a bachelor’s degree. Most future principals start with a degree in education, but you can also pursue degrees in subjects you want to teach, such as math or English.

While studying, you may focus on gaining a solid foundation in classroom instruction, curriculum development and child psychology. Some programs offer internships or student teaching experiences, which provide hands-on learning in real educational settings.

Principals may start their careers as teachers and gain valuable experience managing classrooms, designing lesson plans and working directly with students and other educators. This experience helps build such skills as communication, leadership and organization. 

If you’re looking to step into school administration, you typically need a master’s degree. A Master of Education (MAEd) can help build skills to lead. These programs cover school law, budgeting, curriculum development and instructional leadership.

To pursue a job as a principal, you need a valid teaching license as well as a principal’s license. Some states also expect principals to keep their licenses up to date throughout their careers. Before you start applying, double-check your state’s guidelines to make sure you have the required credentials.

You might also need to pass state exams to be eligible for a particular role.

Education is ever-changing, and continuing professional development can help you stay on top of these changes. Consider enrolling in leadership programs to learn fresh strategies to improve your school. Professional learning communities can also give you space to collaborate with peers, share insights and tackle educational challenges.